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No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. V. SMITH. METHOD OF BURNING FUEL AND UTILIZING THE HEAT AND GASES; No. 424,828. Patented Apr. 1'. 1890.

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METHOD OI BURNING FUEL AND UTILIZING THE HEAT AND GASES.

No. 424,828. Pqmtented'Apr. 1, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN V. SMITH, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PITTS- BURGH METALLURGY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

METHOD OF BURNING FUEL AND UTILIZING THE HEAT AND GASES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,828, dated April 1, 1890.

Application filed July 8, 1889. Serial No. 316,866. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- for other purposes, and in which the gases Be it known that I, MARTIN V. SMITH, a generated resulting from the mutual decomcitizen of the United States, residing at Pittsposition of air and steam in connection with burg, in the county of Allegheny and State of incandescent carbonaceous material may be 55 Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful subsequently partially oxidized or burned, Improvements in the Method of Burning Fuel and theresultant gases cooled to a degree of and Utilizing the Heat and Gases Generated temperature sufficient to condense the steam Thereby; and I do hereby declare the followand then passing the cooled and condensed ing to be a full, clear, and exact description gases to a place of storage or consumption. 60 of said invention, reference being had to the I prefer, however, to employ the apparatus accompanying drawings, and to the letters of illustrated in the accompanying drawings. reference marked thereon, which form a part In the said drawings, Figure 1 represents a of this specification. longitudinal vertical sectional view of a fur- This invention relates to an improved methnace adapted to carry my invention into ef- 65 r 5 0d of burning fuel and utilizing the heat and feet; and Fig. 2, a cross-section of the furnace gases generated thereby; and it has for its and boilers, the eduction-flues through which objects, first, to utilize the heat of the hot the unconsumed gases pass off, the condenser gases resulting for the mutual decomposition wherein the oxidized hydrogen is separated, of air and steam in connection with incanand the main through which the final gases 70 2o descent carbonaceous material; second,to proare passed oif to the point of consumption or ride for intensifying heat of said gases by storage. partly consuming the same, and, third, to pro- The letter A indicates a producer or genevide for the ultimate use of the combustible rating-chamber of a furnace. The said furgases after being partially consumed by prenace is provided with the usual grate C, ash- 75 cipitating the hydrogen to separate it from pit D, and draft-doors E, through which air the gases prior to the final use of said gases, is supplied initially to support combustion of as hereinafter set forth. the fuel.

In practicing my invention ignited coke or The letter F indicates the fire-bridge of the other carbonaceous material is subjected to furnace, which is provided with a vertical 8o the action of a blast of air until the whole flue G, leading from the horizontal fines I-I, body is rendered incandescent. Then a curwhich communicate by means of openings I rent or series of jets of steam, in connection with the working-pit K of the plant, through with an induced blast of air, is passed through which air may be supplied to the gases passthe incandescentmass of carbonaceous mateing from. the producer. 85 3 5 rial, producing a large volume of intensely- The letters K indicate ordinary return-flue heated combustible gases, consisting mainly boilers located over the rear of the furnace of hydrogen and carbonic oxide, mixed, howabove and back of the fire-bridge. The fiues ever, with carbonic acid and the nitrogen of of the said boiler at the rear ends communithe air introduced, which act simplyas dilucate with the rear of the furnace by means 0 cuts of the combustible gases. These hot of the vertical flues L, and at the fronts of gases may be employed as heating agents for the boilers, connecting with the fines thereof, various purposes-=-for instance, in connection are arranged pipes or fines M, which connect with boiler-furnaces for the generation of with an eduction-flue N, through which the steam, where the heat necessary for the deunconsumed gases escape. The said pipe N 5 velopment of the gases and contained in said connects by an an elbow-pipe P with a vergases as they are produced may be imparted tical flue R, which is surrounded by a water to the water in the boiler to heat the same. jacket S, through which a stream of water Any suitable apparatus may be employed may be kept flowing in any suitable manner, in carrying out my invention in which the inorder to cool the gases passing oif to a tem- I00 hot generated gases may be employed to give perature below 212 Fahrenheit and condense up their heat for the generation of steam or the water resulting from the oxidation of the hydrogen to separate it from the gases. The lower end of the'fiue R connects with the main T, through which the unconsumed gases are finally passed oif for use.

In the vertical pipe M are located dampers Y, by means of which the connection between the fiues of the boilers and the eduction-fiue may be opened or closed at will.

The front end of the eduction-fiue N is provided with a puff-valve W, Fig. 2, and at intermediate points the fine is also provided with puif-valves X, having weighted levers X ,which permit them to open automatically upon any sudden puff or extra pressure of gas and close automatically upon the relief of the pressure. a

Each furnace at its top above the producer is provided with a fuel-conduit A, having a balance-damper B, by means of which fuel may be supplied when required. The top of the furnace is also provided with a stoke-hole C, through which the fuel may be manipulated by means of a suitable bar. Through the front of each of the furnaces, below the grate-bars thereof, extends a pipe or flue C", which connects at its outer end with the external air .and terminates at its inner end within the furnace below the grate thereof. Into the outer end of the said pipe or flue 0 extends a steam-injector or series of steaminjectors D, which receive a supply of steam through the pipes E, leading from the boiler, so'as to permit a regulated supply of steam to be discharged into the furnace under the grate thereof, as and for the purpose more fully hereinafter explained.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The boiler is filled with water to or above the usual fire-line and the producer or generator is suitably charged with coke or other suitable carbonaceous material. The fuel is then ignited, the draft-door being opened to admit the air for the support of the combustion of the fuel. The air thus admitted passes up through the coke,the products of combustion passing back under the boiler through the flues in the boiler, automatically opening the puff-doors and escaping. When the coke becomes thoroughlyincandescent, the draft-doors are closed and steam is admitted through the jet-pipes which enter the flue, the jet inducing a current of air which is carried into the furnace below thegrate-bars, and with the steam passes upthrough the incandescent fuel in the producer.

Fresh coal may now be added through the hopper E. If it is desired to take the products of combustion from under the boiler, together with the unconsumed or unoxidized gases, the puff-door W is closed and the gas passed through tube N and condenser B into the main T, leading the final gases to their place of storage or consumption.

By means of the improved boiler-furnace above described it will be'readily understood that the heat initially used in producing the gas is utilized in the generation of steam,but that any additional degree of heat maybe supplied to the boiler and all unconsumed gases saved and used subsequently.

As the producer-gas expands to double its volume for every 500 of heat, it follows that one volume of gas at ordinary atmospheric temperature would expand to four volumes at 2,000 of heat. It will be readily perceived, therefore, that by cooling the gases the water is not only condensed and separated,but the gases are also condensed, so as to render one cubic foot of cold gas equal to four feet of the expanded gas in heating capacity, while reducing the storage capacity necessary when keeping the gas to a similar degree.

In an application filed of even .date herewith, Serial No. 316,867, I have claimed the apparatus shown in this application, and such I do not claim here.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent, is I The method herein described of utilizing the gases generated from a carbonaceous material, consisting in igniting the same, passing a current or jet of air and steam through the ignited mass to generate a richproducergas of hydrogen and carbonaceous oxide, admitting air to the gases in a combustion-chamber to mingle with the gases 'to oxidize and partially consume the same to generate steam, and then cooling the resultant gases and products of combustion to condense and eliminate the steam and reduce the volume of gases, and finally passing the cooled and condensed gases to a place of consumption, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN V. SMITH.

Witnesses:

J os. P. EGAN, ARTHUR voN SENDEN. 

